The journal of Detheriel (full of spoilers)

[shamrock_uk]

Just for you Leslie It all comes down to pretty pictures



Detheriel and a sleepy Yoshimo emerge from the Mithrest Inn a bit plumper than they entered it..

[ 04-21-2005, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

[Armen]

this is pretty good shamrock [img]smile.gif[/img]

[shamrock_uk]

Thanks Armen [img]smile.gif[/img]


29 Mirtul 1369

Hmm...life is suddenly looking much less optimistic this evening! Imoen is apparently practically unreachable so any hopes of I held of a quick breakout are dashed. We were met by a man named Gaelan Bayle who claimed the power to deliver Imoen to us, albeit for an astronomical sum.

I have the gravest reservations about this man and don't trust him as far as I could throw him - he is one of those irritatingly charming people that could weasel his way out of a dragon's den with nothing but his silvery tongue. Yoshimo confirmed my suspicions - this man is working for none other than the Shadow Thieves.

I want nothing at all to do with these snakes if possible so shall redouble my efforts to find Imoen myself. Gaelan was clearly hiding important information from me and for all I know he was lying about Imoen's whereabouts to extort money from me. I'll be damned if I'll help line their nest if I can avoid it, and I fervently hope that some other opportunity to recover Imoen will present itself.

Oh yes, the day wasn't all bad news though - on our way from the Promenade I came across a crying child. It turns out that the circus was being held hostage by this crazed gnome and many lives were lost. Deranged he may have been, but he was also a mighty illusionist though, making innocents appear as hostile beasts. Yoshi and I made our way through the structure keeping to the shadows to avoid killing people by accident. We found him and it was with no little pleasure that I ended his life with a sword through his throat.

I often wonder if its wrong for me to enjoy killing like that. I mean, surely it should be a 'regrettable last resort' that I should agonise over for days? Yet when I see someone evil like this gnome, putting innocent people in danger for his twisted delusions of grandeur I have no hesitation in ending his life. And why should a brief flash of enjoyment be somehow wrong? After all, my actions are good - I save lives! Thanks to me, no more innocents will be killed and a villain is no more - surely the exultation of victory and a flash of pride at my abilities is nothing but the inevitable result of combat?!

Perhaps I concern myself too much with these things, although I do wonder whether difficult moral questions like this are why people turn to worship. I defend the innocent from evil because of my love of nature and my belief that people should have the right to live free from maurauding monsters or evil individuals rather than from any particular obligation to a deity. Of course I always whisper a prayer to Mielikki before combat, but this is more from habit than any personal or spiritual relationship I have with Her - It's not as if She's ever spoken to me or anything!

Ah well, perhaps I will better understand my emotions in battle as time progresses. I'm quite sure however that my brief enjoyment at the vanquishment of an evil foe is different from the enjoyment of a murderer who takes innocent life. Looking back over my words, I don't even know why I wrote the above - it's not as if I have to justify my feelings or emotions to anyone, let alone myself!

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Oh yes, I almost forgot: it turns out that there is more to this deranged gnome than initially met the eye - A little girl outside the tent handed me a genie's lamp and mentioned a premises in the bridge district. We shall have to visit there at some point, although I have much more pressing matters to deal with first.

Our visit to the temple district was fruitless too - the priests are more interested in preserving their status in their disgustingly affluent strongholds than helping the innocent and needy. We have taken another companion into our group, Saerileth who claims to be on a mission from Tyr Himself! It gets better though: apparently she was even born on Mount Celestia! Of course I don't believe a word of it, but no evil creature would dare invoke Tyr's name and an extra sword arm will be very welcome so I've allowed her to come with us. No doubt I shall get to the bottom of her past in due course.

Ah well, another day in my hectic life has passed. Tomorrow we shall head for the government district as Gaelan's son suggested - he mentioned a boy there requiring aid for his village against an unknown attacker. Since the immediate trail to Imoen has gone cold and my own investigations were fruitless there appears to be no reason to remain here.

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[ 04-21-2005, 08:15 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

[shamrock_uk]

Well, the Saerileth mod is surprising me already - I was simply gobsmacked at the first talk we had. I wasn't expecting to have to deal with these issues for a long time! The background music is nice too The voicing is excellent quality but the accent is perhaps a little thick for my tastes. Still, can't have everything! Enjoy... [img]smile.gif[/img]

30 Mirtul 1369

Finally! The open countryside! I can't put how glad I am into words - suffice to say that (much to Yoshi's amusement) I have been so full of energy today that I cannot stay still.

I probably shouldn't be surprised anymore, but today has been yet another eventful one! We went to the government district to meet this child and were instead treated to the sight of a burning at the stake! Nevertheless, these fanatics were clearly of dubious morality and the Drow claimed innocence so I intervened. I didn't need Saerileth's urging to leave her however: whilst nobody deserves mindless mob violence, I've seen the results of enough Drow raids to want to keep them as far away from me as possible.

After the child scrawled directions on my map and I had given him some coin for food we set out towards the great city gates. On our way however we stumbled across yet another crime being committed! What kind of civilization is this?! We slew the attackers and Saerileth rushed to the aid of this man who apparently had been poisoned. We took him to his companions who resided near the docks and apparently were Harpers. Xzar tried to get us to perform some nefarious deed but having known many Harpers, Jaheira included, I told him where he could put his offer.

After witnessing yet another crime - a dubious transaction involving the black lotus flower - we were finally free of the city! We walked leisurely in an Easterly direction, leaving the road after two or three hours when it began to curve South. We paused for some food in the evening and Yoshimo wandered off to a nearbye stream to bathe. You would never know it after sharing a room with him, but he actually keeps himself fastidiously clean. But anyway, this left myself and Saerileth alone and suddenly I found myself wishing that he would hurry back after she moved over to start a conversation.

She asked in a roundabout way whether she had the characteristics of women that I like. When I responded that she did, she confessed her fears to me that I would think her childish and told me how she hoped I would see her as a maiden. I should say now that she is stunning and has the most beautiful blue eyes...when I look into them I can't help feeling slightly breathless. But where has all this come from?? I'm flattered, of course, but it just doesn't seem quite right! Her questions were loaded, there was no doubt about it - she laid her hand on my arm and it was trembling with emotion as we talked! Her eyes show utter sincerity and her face was a picture of hopefulness, fear of rejection and desire.

Now, don't get me wrong - I think she's beautiful and I'm terribly attracted to her but she just seems so innocent! Unless I've drastically misinterpreted her, things are going to progress but that raises all sorts of questions. Firstly, I've only known her for one day! One day!! Asides from idle conversation and our initial meeting we haven't even talked at any great length. It's not as if she is a woman of dubious morals - quite the opposite. That's what leaves me in such a quandry!

Why would a woman of such morality and nobleness almost throw herself at me? I can only assume that maybe she is experiencing certain emotions for the first time and is thus taken by surprise and incapable of resisting them. Unfortunately I think that is more the result of her innocence rather than my dashing good lucks and charm, but you can't have everything...

A maiden she may be in body, but I'm not convinced whether she should be considered one in mind. What course should I take now? If I am too reserved then I run the risk of losing her completely: if she feels spurned I have no doubt she would leave immediately. Yet, I cannot in good conscience continue at this (by any reckoning!) astonishing pace. I shall have to sleep on this. I suspect that against every instinct I shall have to try and walk the tightrope of making things go as slow as possible without making her feel as if I'm not interested. Perhaps as we get to know each other better she will realise that caution in these matters is better - her heart will be hurt much less often if she were to keep it more guarded. She is so trusting of me, a virtual stranger, that her actions almost remind me of an animal that has never met a human before and doesn't know to be afraid.

As if my life needed any more complications! I wonder if Yoshimo would have any advice. Hmmm. I'll have to find some way to curb his cleanliness too, the simplest way to slow things will be to ensure that we are never alone for any significant period of time. Am I being alarmist? It's not like I'm a woman expert after all - I'm not even all that older than her either and here I am talking like her parents... If you could've seen her pleading face though I think it was clear that she needs a little guidance and restraint.

It shall be a good exercise in self-discipline, if nothing else.

At least we're back in the wilds though. I'm lying on my rug, smelling the earth and grass near my nose and the whole scene is bathed in orange by the dying embers of the fire. It is so calming that I think perhaps nature will prevent me from going completely insane. Here's hoping!

We should reach the Umar Hills at some point in the morning judging by my map - hopefully we shall be kept busy enough that I can put these issues to one side for the near future.

Slight addition to the first Saerileth paragraph, it was reading funny.

[ 05-13-2005, 06:05 AM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

[shadowolf03]

Really nice! Since i haven't played SoA for quite a while and don't know about the new characters' add ons its fun to read how you respond to them!

[shamrock_uk]

Glad you're enjoying [img]smile.gif[/img] If there's any mods in particular that you'd heard about and would like me to include, do speak up and I'll see what I can do [img]smile.gif[/img]

[shamrock_uk]

Hmm...I'm pondering a future dual to a cleric. I think it might be quite interesting to explore how the whole dual class process would work in the 'real world'.

I've completely screwed myself over with my proficiency points, but that will fit in with the vague plot I have in my head - he didn't know he'd be a cleric in the future either [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I just have one question - when people advise to dual at level 13, do they mean after 12 ranger levels make the 13th a cleric? Or is it 13 ranger levels and then make the next one a cleric...

[pjotr2005]

I think it's 13 ranger lvls then dual to cleric.
But some people recommend dualing at the start(lvl 7)
Does someone have more insight at which lvl it's best to dual?

[ 04-25-2005, 08:49 AM: Message edited by: pjotr2005 ]

[Armen]

7 is an attack per round (iirc)
9 gets you a proficency point and 'all' your d10 HP rolls
12 gets you a prof point
13 gets you an extra attack per round

(THACO/saving throws improve a bit for all of these too)

13(ranger)->cleric(14) would be quite a lot of XP with a party though (even worse than for a fighter dual)

if you're not too fussed power-wise you could wait for a role playing 'event' that makes the decision for you . . .

[shamrock_uk]

I was wondering about some sort of religious experience, but that's given me an interesting idea, thanks Armen! (and for the info too! [img]tongue.gif[/img] ) I wonder if I could find some way to tie it in with getting my soul sucked by Johnny-boy...

Still, being a level 1 cleric through spellhold doesn't really appeal all that much, especially as I have the 'Bodhi actualy chases you' component from Unfinished Business installed. Makes it a frantic scramble at the best of times, and my party was only going to have a small number of people in it.

Still, would be a challenge